Ranaskai

Infusions: Silver.
The Mirrorlands are a realm of isolated towering peaks, broad farm-strewn plains, and other varied and densely-inhabited landscapes. But above it a flat and low layer of cloud perpetually hangs, and in its underside the landscape is reflected. But it's more than an image; at the top of certain tall peaks, gravity flips and one can cross over into the reflected land, where subtle differences in land and people can be identified. As one travels to the edge of the inverted realm, where it is no longer reflected from below, the land grows faint and distorted and rainbow-hued, fading out eventually into a prismatic maze where strange predators hunt.
questions:

• how does sunlight work here, especially in the Reverse? - The Ranaskai mirror clouds over in patches, barring travel and providing rain for both directions.
• is there a purpose for entering the fringes of the Reverse? possibly to spy into that area of the obverse (real) world? or as a form of (dangerous) fast-travel

Structure

Banners

As in many parts of the world, the land is ruled by Nobles from hereditary family lines. These families have dominion over areas of land of various sizes - generally quite small - and have the right to tax the people that live therein, as well as create laws, pass justice upon them, and generally control their entire existences. Above the Nobles are a number of Banners, not controlled by any living individual, to which Nobles traditionally pledge fealty, promising to follow the principles they represent.
the pledge to a banner is generally life-long, and the first action of the new Noble is to pledge fealty to a Banner. though they most often they choose the Banner of their parent, which aligns with the principles of their upbringing, this is not always the case, and those days of power-transition can see some considerable jockeying between representatives of the different Banners. A few Nobles follow no Banner, even in the form of lip-service, but they are censured by the rest of the Ranaskaran Nobility - though not as heavily as those who change their Banner frequently, who are seen as unreliable in the extreme. Some see the Banners only as a means to power or as a sense of community, but most actually care about the principles and seek to live by them, at least somewhat.
the structure within each Banner varies depending on their differing philosophies, but they are generally free associations and coalitions of their representative Nobles. Their influence is felt more through common approaches, with things like legal codes, taxation systems, military structure, and even religions informed by the Banner's philosophy. Some Banners look to a single historical individual as a founder or exemplar as a representative, embodying their principles, and they are often venerated.
Disputes between Nobles rarely escalate to full-blown war, most often taking the form of single combat or formalised skirmish; when open warfare does break out, the Banners are often dragged in, leading to large-scale and messy warfare.
the Banner symbols are represented in the mirror-image in the Reverse.
Non-Exhaustive List of Banners (these are merely the largest):

1. Stallion Argent: symbol is a silver (grey) horse. a front for the Castellans to some degree, they hold the value of commerce, trade, and finance above all else. as such, they operate the most prolific mints (often debasing their own currency without realising it). They support their beliefs with a philosophy that one is rewarded for one's inherent virtues with wealth in this life. their palaces tend to be lavish, and make heavy use of imported products.
2. Jackal Resplendent: Symbol is a gold (yellow) jackal. Believe that a ruler is best off setting a positive example to their people - with questing, tourneys, feats of courage, fine works of art and scholarship - rather than dictating laws and managing affairs of state. Society functions best when each member of society is in their correct place, serving their correct function, and order is only required to ensure people find the correct role for them. Their realms tend to be free for the common folk and possess elite militaries, but also be poorly run. Their palaces are sprawling, mismatched things that are forever being extended.
3. Fox Untrammeled: symbol is a black fox. Also known as Sables, Nobles dedicated to the Fox Untrammeled shun worldly goods, possessions, and pleasures. they hold themselves, their vassals, and others to high standards, and are stern, strict, and unyielding; yet they are also powerful, productive, and stubborn in their actions, which are often against unfairness, injustice, exploitation, and decadence. Their palaces do not truly earn the name, being usually squat, uncomfortable, solid affairs. Arch-rivals of the stallion argent.
4. Serpent Azure: symbol is a coiled blue snake. They believe in wisdom, planning, precedent, care, attention to detail and the like. Slow to act and overly-legislative, but also great lovers of knowledge. Their palaces are elegant, austere, graceful, highly symmetrical things. Often allies of the Fox Untrammeled.
5. Shepherd Crimson: symbol is a red ram's horn or a red shepherd's crozier. They have a simple ritual - once a year, the Noble presents himself before the people and places themselves at their mercy. They vote as a mob over whether to slay the noble or not; if they do, the successor becomes the Noble. As you can imagine, this system is neither stable nor popular, but the common folk seem to like it. Their palaces always feature large courtyards for just this purpose.
6. Ursine lambent: symbol is a white bear. They have a particularly strict code of loyalty to lord and family, and foster strong friendships - fraternal orders and sisterhoods are prevalent, and open to anyone of appropriate social status. Promises, Oaths and friendships are also highly valued. Close-knit communities. Palaces are generally great halls filled with friends and carousing.
7. Centipede Vert: the banner aligned to the Temfep. they are beholden to New Caracar and are devoted astrologers. Their palaces are influenced by the architectural style of old Caracar, and always feature observatories.
8. Lotus Cerulean: a relatively minor Banner, Originated in the regions the coast but now frequently found in the wilder areas of the Reverse. Prioritises movement, exploration, the nomadic life. Their palaces are great moving carnivals.

Castellans

Castellans are a special role within Ranaskaran society, for they control the Crossings between the Obverse and Reverse and extract payment from those crossing. rates are very cheap for pedestrians, but wagons and goods have to pay a notable surcharge, kept down for non-perishable goods by competition between the Castellans. Though never formally created as a role within, Castellans are now very much an acknowledged and accepted part of Ranaskaran society- though much resented as money-grubbing parasites by Banner-Nobles and commoners alike.
some Castellans have invested their profits in acquiring control of substantial lands - either directly or via Nobles sworn to their Banner, the Stallion Argent - mostly within the Reverse.

History

• conquered by Mattiha river valley in around 6000LF, in one of the first documented military conquests in history.
• During the Great essence shift, Ranaskai became less arid, moving from scrubby to wet and lush.
• Much later, conquered by Caracar
• Banner system arose much more recently, within the last 600 years.

Demography and Population

The majority of the population here are the Mirrored, relatively uninfused humans that sometimes have silver hair or eyes. the most distinctive thing about them is that they (like all native creatures) born as twins - not necessarily identical, but always reflections of each other in some way. as such, each twin-pair has one left- and one right-handed member - this is the easiest way to tell otherwise-identical twins above.
These twins often live in close proximity, if only because such an occurrence is common in areas where there is little change or population movement.
If one half of a twin dies, the other is believed to take on their soul and is expected to use plural pronouns to refer to themselves - as are others, who call them by a concatenated name. this is an older and more fundamental feature of their culture than the Banners or any extant religion.
A dialect of Framca, strongly influenced by the pre-existing Mattihan language is the language of the land. Is considered by most Framca speakers to be an "old-fashioned" form of the language.
Slavery exists at a small, domestic scale in Ranaskai, but not in an organised manner.
Population Breakdown:

• 97% Mirrored
• 2% Anteparan
• 1% other

Territories

When fog lies thick at the dawn of the day, The Shimmers will come for to take you away.
One may come as a friend, for its form is a lie - watch out for the rainbow that glints in its eye!
Creep into the cellar and seal it shut, Or if one should catch you, too far from a hut-
Seek out the cave or the shadowy dell; For in the darkness the fiend cannot dwell.
Aye, watch for Shimmers on a misty day Seeking bones to crack and skin to flay.  -"the Shimmers", a child's rhyme from the Ranaskai Reverse.
A sizeable and intensely-farmed country, Ranaskai produces a reliable food surplus that made it such an important component in the Caracaran Supplicancy.
the land is divided into Ranaskai Obverse, the conventional territory, and the upside-down Ranaskai Reverse. The Obverse is somewhat more heavily inhabited, where the Reverse is more wild; strange creatures prowl at its edges, little understood, and the land is more forested.
there are only two dozen or so crossing-points between the two areas - either from extremely high peaks, from slender towers built in elevated areas to reach a sufficient combined height, or in extremis merely a long, strong rope or chain held under tension by its own weight between two hills.
Unique flora and fauna:

• Chromatic Aberrations: the strange predators of the fringes of the Reverse. they hate the dark, and settlements in the fringes have dark cellars to hide from the monsters in. they also take the forms of people or creatures, given away only by the rainbow sheen in their eye. new moons are considered the safest time in these places.
• Silver Bears: the apex beasts, they always hunt in twin-pairs and can teleport to one another.

Specific Locations:

• Silvermere: A large lake, controlled by the Stallion Argent. especially rich in silver. Possibly a place where silver coins are thrown for good luck, Possibly a heist or dredging took place here, possibly devaluing silver?

Foreign Relations

Bordering areas:

• Antepar (north)
• Onor (east)
• Mattiha river valley (south)
• coastal area (west)
• Moss-stone forest (north)

of these, Antepar is the only one that is both heavily developed and politically unified. the two saltwater rivers merge into one, and flow eventually through the entirety of southern Ranaskai, debouching out the sea in the east, somewhat diluted by the various rivers that join it along the way. Several of the border-Nobles pay tribute to the Anteparans, and there are frequent squabbles at the border.

Agriculture & Industry

Agriculture dominates the lands, which are intensely farmed and produce copious grain, fruits, and livestock, as well as derivatives like beer and wine.
the other major contribution Ranaskai has made to - that has made it wealthy - is the silver coins known as Bools that have become the common currency of Caracar. Different banners control different mints, whose coins are roughly (but not exactly) equivalent, leading to weight being the most trusted measure of the value of coins.

Type

Geopolitical, State

Alternative Names

Ranaskiy, Ranaskar, The Mirrorlands

Demonym

Ranaskaran, Mirrored

Government System

Oligarchy

Power Structure

Feudal state

Currency

Silver Bools

Major Exports

• silver - in ingots, coins, and finished goods
• mirrors
• food
• wine
• wool

Major Imports

• luxury goods

Official State Religion

Temfep

Location

Caracar

Neighboring Nations

• Antepar